Giants-Packers playoffs lore is more than red-faced Coughlin

Jan 6, 2017 | 7:17AM

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New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin walks off the field following the NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. (Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports)

There's a lot more to the playoff history between the Giants and Packers than a scarlet-faced Tom Coughlin standing on a frigid sideline in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Jan. 20, 2008, in New York's numbing overtime win in the NFC championship game.

The win in temperatures that felt like minus-23 with the wind-chill factor catapulted the Giants to their third Super Bowl title two weeks later. A fourth would follow after the 2011 season, with New York again stunning the Lambeau Field faithful with a 37-20 win in a second-round playoff game over a Packers team that went 15-1 in the regular season.

That's recent history. The postseason story between two of the NFL's oldest franchises dates to 1938, and the annals of the seven playoff games between them is rich.

The playoff rivalry will resume Sunday when the Giants (11-5) and the NFC North champion Packers (10-6) will meet in a wild-card game at Lambeau Field.

For the record, the Packers have a 4-3 edge in playoff games.

The Giants won the first one and the NFL title in 1938, beating the Packers 23-17. The Packers would win the next four games and NFL championships in 1939, '44, 61 and '62.

You know about the last two. The first five were interesting, too. >> Read more

Brooks has the Giants sticking with their No. 2 pick, and spending it on Nelson who is highly considered the lineman in the draft. Despite RB Saquon Barkley and several quarterbacks still on the board, protecting QB Eli Manning is on GM Dave Gettleman's priority in Brooks' mind.

"New GM Gettleman is all about the "hog mollies" (big guys)," Brooks writes, "so he could by pass a quarterback of the future and a dynamic runner to add a Pro Bowl-caliber interior blocker to the roster."

Here is the most up-to-date information on whom the Giants have added and lost during free agency, including contract details and salary cap information. The official signing period begins Wednesday at 4 p.m., so be sure to bookmark this page and check back for frequent updates.

GIANTS SALARY CAP SPACE

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Giants sign veteran CB B.W. Webb

1:55PM

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The Giants got more help in their secondary as they have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with veteran CB B.W. Webb, his agent Sunny Shah announced on Twitter.

Webb, a former fourth-round pick by the Cowboys back in 2013, has jumped around the NFL with the Giants being his seventh team since becoming a pro. He played in 15 games his rookie season, totaling 16 tackles in that span. Then, Webb played 11 games with the Steelers in 2014, and nine games with the Titans in 2015.

His last active season was with the Saints in 2016, where he tallied 28 tackles and one interception in 14 games. However, after spending time in Bears camp in preseason last year, he was eventually cut and didn't play the rest of the season. He spent a week in Browns camp as well.

Giants add depth to defensive line in re-signing Kerry Wynn

The Giants have shored up the depth of their defensive line rotation by agreeing to terms on a new deal with Kerry Wynn.

Wynn, a 27-year-old who's entering his fifth NFL season, will sign a one-year deal to return to the Giants, a source confirmed. He has been a solid rotational player for the Giants since they signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Richmond in 2014. He's even made 10 starts in the last three years.

Four days into free agency the Giants have already filled their three biggest needs, adding a couple of offensive lineman, a play-making linebacker, and a running back too. The problem is they were a dysfunctional 3-13 mess last season, so there's still a lot of work to be done.

Giants could be big winners of Jets-Colts trade

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman speaks to reporters after a news conference introducing him on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger) (Adam Hunger/AP)

The Jets traded three second-round picks to move up just from No. 6 to No. 3 in the NFL draft, setting the bar for any other team that wants to trade up into the Top 5. It's pretty clear they're moving up for a quarterback too, which means any team that wants one will have to at least jump ahead of them.

And that puts the Giants in one of the most interesting, and possibly strongest positions in the draft.

The Giants, of course, hold the No. 2 pick, right behind the top-picking Cleveland Browns - and that could be the spot that other teams will now target if they want to move up to take a quarterback of their own...

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Report: Justin Pugh agrees to deal with Cardinals

Mar 16 | 11:17PM

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(Kim Klement)

Giants OL Justin Pugh has decided to go elsewhere next season, as he has agreed to a deal with the Arizona Cardinals, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

A first-round pick by the Giants back in 2013, Pugh has played and started in all 63 games he has played with New York over his five-year career. He was also an NFL All-Rookie Team member in 2013. Last season, he struggled with back issues, playing in only eight games.

Pugh joins C Weston Richburg by leaving the Giants this offseason. Richburg signed a multi-year deal with the 49ers. The Giants, however, signed a couple additions like LT Nate Solder and OL Patrick Omameh.

Kareem Martin predicts a 'relentless' Giants defense this season

James Bettcher hasn't unveiled his vision for what his new Giants defense is going to look like next season. But linebacker Kareem Martin has a pretty good idea of how exciting it's going to be.

"It's going to be a relentless defense," Martin, the newest Giants linebacker, said on a conference call on Friday. "We're a heavy blitz team in the past years and he likes to get guys run up the field and I think that's what the guys are going to be really excited about, especially the guys up front.

Newest Giants trying to recruit Tyrann Mathieu

It likely won't make a difference in the end because of the Giants' salary cap constraints, but a couple of their newest players have made it clear: They want the Honey Badger on their team.

Both recently signed linebacker Kareem Martin and recently acquired linebacker Alec Ogletree have made it clear they'd like the Giants' next addition to be safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday. The only problem is Mathieu is likely seeking a big contract, and the Giants have almost no salary cap room left.

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Flowers receives last opportunity at right tackle, but needs to earn role

Dave Gettleman said he learned a lesson a long time ago from former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi: "Don't quit on talent." Too often, teams are too quick to give up on young players with ability just because they're slow to develop.

That's as good an explanation as any for why the Giants are moving Ereck Flowers to right tackle, now that they've signed Nate Solder to replace him on the left side. Flowers was once the ninth overall pick in the NFL draft. He's still only 23 years old. He was a bust at left tackle, but Gettleman wants to give him every possible chance to show the talent he has before the Giants let him go.

The Giants have announced they have signed LT Nate Solder and LB Kareem Martin as well as their plan to move Ereck Flowers to RT.

Solder signed a four-year, $62 million deal with $35 million guaranteed, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. The $15.5 million per year average makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league.

"I'm so thankful, this is a first-class organization," Solder said, via the Giants' news release...

Alec Ogletree, one of the newest Giants, was actually one of the first NFL players to really tick Odell Beckham, Jr. off. It happened in 2014 in St. Louis, about a year before the more famous Josh Norman incident. Ogletree, then with the Rams, delivered a big late hit to Beckham out of bounds, leading to a wild brawl.

It's been more than three years since that happened. But if you think Beckham has forgotten it, think again.

"He actually sent me a video of the fight," Ogletree said. "He was like, 'We're going after it every day at practice,' And I was like, 'Oh, yeah.'"

Analyzing the Giants' offseason so far

Eli Manning finally has some protection

After years of a combination of poor choices, neglect, and indifference, new GM Dave Gettleman is attacking the most obvious problem in the Giants' organization. Their line had fallen into a state of disrepair years ago -- dating back to the final few years of the Tom Coughlin regime. But the franchise (and former GM Jerry Reese) stubbornly stuck by failed players, refused to be aggressive to find help in the draft, and ignored seemingly quick fixes in free agency.

Those days are clearly over...

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If price is right, Tyrann Mathieu a perfect fit for Giants

Mathieu played under DC James Bettcher last season

It seems like a perfect fit for the Giants. Their new defensive coordinator, James Bettcher, had a Top-10 defense in Arizona last season, and one of his best players on that defense was The Honey Badger - safety Tyrann Mathieu.

And now, suddenly, Mathieu is an unrestricted free agent … and the Giants think they have a need at safety. So …

Dave Gettleman isn't kidding about fixing the Giants' offensive line quickly. And now his rebuilding effort is three-fifths complete.

Hours after agreeing to terms on a mega-deal with free-agent left tackle Nate Solder, the Giants got him some company by agreeing to terms with former Jaguars guard Patrick Omameh. The 6-4, 327-pounder is ironically the player who was displaced when the Jags signed free agent Andrew Norwell, the Giants' original top target in free agency.

Omameh started 20 games for the Jaguars over the last two years, and will likely replace the departing Justin Pugh at left guard. Pugh has long been expected to leave via free agency, and will be visiting the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday according to a league source.

Stewart on what he brings to the Giants: 'I've got a lot left'

Newly acquired RB Jonathan Stewart may be a veteran, but after signing a two-year deal with the Giants, he is treading new waters playing for a new team for the first time in his 10-year career.

But Stewart isn't entirely away from his Panthers family. Former Carolina and current Giants GM Dave Gettleman as well as Giants new OC Mike Shula were both in the building when Stewart was there. That is why Stewart told the New York media on his first conference call Monday that their presence with the Giants aided in his decision to pick Big Blue.

"It played a signifcant role," Stewart said. "Dave believes in me, and it's just good to know that the GM believes in what you can do on the field, and Mike Shula, there is a familiarity with the offense and the scheme, and I believe in what they're going to do moving forward with the draft. They're definitely a good team, they've got a lot of good players on offense and defense and I'm just excited to be apart of it."

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: New Giants GM Dave Gettleman lamented last week how difficult it is to find linebackers in the college draft, since so many of the best ones line up at other positions like safety or defensive end.

So he went and found a linebacker in the NFL instead.

Gettleman gave the Giants a much-needed boost at the linebacker position on Wednesday when he officially acquired Alec Ogletree in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. The Giants will send a fourth and sixth-round pick in this year's NFL draft to L.A. in return for the 26-year-old inside linebacker and the Rams' seventh-round pick in 2019...

When the Giants used the ninth overall pick of the draft on Ereck Flowers three years ago, they hoped he'd be a fixture at left tackle for them for a decade. That experiment is now apparently over.

The Giants are expected to replace him on Wednesday afternoon by signing former Patriots left tackle Nate Solder shortly after the free-agent market opens at 4 p.m., according to an NFL source. He will be getting a monster, four-year deal worth $62 million and $35 million guaranteed, the source said. The $15.5 million per year average makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league...

Giants tender C Brett Jones as expected

New York placed a second-round tender on the center

The Giants are committed to playing Brett Jones at center next season, so they made the smart move by making his restricted free agent tender high enough that he's a near-lock to stick around.

Jones, as expected, was offered the second-round tender by the Giants on Tuesday night - a one-year deal worth $2.914 million. That means that while he's still free to solicit offers from other teams as an RFA, the Giants have the right to match. And if they don't, they'd get a second-round pick from the team that signs him.

Mar 13 | 8:31PM

Jonathan Stewart probably isn't the dynamic, dual-threat running back that new Giants coach Pat Shurmur said he's looking for anymore. But he could be a big help to their sagging rushing game anyway.

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Giants showing interest in Patriots RB Dion Lewis

Mar 13 | 3:05PM

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(David Butler II)

The Giants are expected to be looking for help in their backfield this offseason. So could Patriots RB Dion Lewis be a viable option?

According to ProFootballTalk, the Giants are among teams interested in signing the veteran back, who is currently a free agent.

The Giants have already begun targeting running backs, as they were scheduled to meet with veteran free agent Jonathan Stewart on Tuesday. They also have made some attempt to try and re-sign Orleans Darwka before he hits free agency. And they are believed to have interest in free agent Jerick McKinnon, who played for new Giants coach Pat Shurmur in Minnesota last year.

Cris Carter wants Beckham to 'stop being a little boy'

Mar 13 | 1:50PM

Hall of Famer Cris Carter had strong words for Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. after the viral video incident late last week.

The seven-second video shows Beckham with what could be drugs, and though it can't be confirmed, Carter says it's time for the young wideout to grow up.

"I'm so disappointed and I expect better from him," Carter said on his "First Things First" FoxSports1 show on Monday. "It's enough with the excuses. Time for you to grow up and stop being a little boy. If you want to be a national brand, damn act like it. If you want someone to pay you as the highest-paid receiver in the history of the game, damn act like it."

Losing guard Andrew Norwell to the Jacksonville Jaguars is undoubtedly a big blow to the Giants' offseason plans. He was their top target, according to a source. He was going to be the centerpiece of their rebuilt offensive line.

But just because Norwell is reportedly set to sign a five-year, $66.5 million deal with the Jags doesn't mean that Giants GM Dave Gettleman can't "fix" his offensive line quickly. There are still plenty of options for the Giants in free agency.

Coughlin, Jaguars steal G Andrew Norwell from Giants

Tom Coughlin is about to get a little revenge on the Giants by spoiling the start of free agency for his old team.

Coughlin's Jacksonville Jaguars apparently swooped in overnight, and landed the Giants' top free-agent target - former Panthers guard Andrew Norwell. They have agreed to a five-year, $66.5 million deal, according to ESPN, that includes $30 million guaranteed. The per-year average of $13.3 million makes him the NFL's highest-paid guard.

Giants' No. 1 priority is to sign G Norwell to big deal

The Giants may eventually do other things in free agency, but they've made clear their priority is to sign guard Andrew Norwell first.

Norwell, the 26-year-old former Panthers guard, did attract some strong interest in the first day of the NFL's free agent negotiating period on Monday, and as expected, the Giants were at the forefront, according to a league source. The former undrafted free agent, signed by new Giants GM Dave Gettleman when he was running the show in Carolina, is expected to command a deal worth about $12 million per year.

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Daily News Live: Is Odell Beckham Jr. worth the headache?

Mar 12 | 5:51PM

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The newest Odell Beckham drama00:04:06

Following the recent events with the Odell Beckham Jr. tape that was leaked, the panel discusses if the he is worth the headache.

New Giants GM Dave Gettleman talked about building a "culture" in the Giants' locker room after their dysfunctional 2017 season. Re-signing linebacker Mark Herzlich is a big step in the right direction for that.

Herzlich officially re-signed on Monday for what is believed to be a one-year deal worth the NFL minimum ($915,000 for an eighth-year veteran). He signed a one-year, minimum salary deal last offseason too before missing all of 2017 with what was described as a "stinger" he suffered during training camp.

Former Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart expected to meet with Giants

Stewart's old OC, Mike Shula, holds same role with New York

Mar 12 | 4:02PM

The Giants are expected to be in the market for a running back this offseason, which is why they are expected to host former Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart on Tuesday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Stewart is expected to see his first season away from Carolina in his 10-year career. He was the 13th overall pick by the Panthers back in 2008, where he has totaled 7,318 yards and 58 total touchdowns.

However, with Christian McCaffrey running the show in the backfield now, Stewart will look elsewhere for employment. The 30-year-old already met with the Lions on Monday.

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Giants tender contract to G Jon Halapio

Mar 12 | 12:31PM

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(Isaiah J. Downing)

The Giants made an expected move in tendering a contract to G Jon Halapio for the 2018 season.

According to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants were planning on bringing back Halapio after a strong close to the season. He played in 10 games, while starting in the final six.

Giants primed to restore O-line, more ahead of free agency

Free-agent negotiating period begins Monday at noon

Dave Gettleman isn't fooling around. He's all business when it comes to fixing the Giants. And in case anyone hasn't noticed, he's going to be aggressive with his plan.

If he didn't make that clear when he cut guard Bobby Hart and benched tackle Ereck Flowers in his first days on the job last December, it was pretty clear over the last few days when he got rid of cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and punter Brad Wing, and traded for linebacker Alec Ogletree. There may be more cuts to come (perhaps receivers Dwayne Harris and Brandon Marshall) too, possibly before the free-agent market opens...

Odell Beckham Jr. calls viral video 'old news'

Giants are aware of the video

Mar 11 | 10:55AM

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be the man in a viral video that circulated on Friday, and it may not be a good thing, per NJ.com.

In the three-second video, Beckham appears to be holding a brown cigarette, while a woman sitting on the bed with him is holding a credit card next to a white substance.

The Giants have said that they are aware of the video, but have no comment at this time. The time and date of the video is unknown.

It isn't good timing for a video of this nature to be released as Beckham is looking for a long-term deal at the moment. He will make $8.4 million on his fifth-year option this season, but has noted that he wants to be one of the highest-paid players in the future.

Giants ask Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to take pay cut

It's not completely clear whether the Giants want Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to be a cornerback or a safety next season, but one thing is clear: They want him to be paid a lot less.

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Giants release P Brad Wing

Mar 10 | 12:55PM

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New York Giants punter Brad Wing (9) is seen on the sideline during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Matt Bush)

The Giants have cut P Brad Wing, the team announced. The move frees up $1.025 million in cap space.

Wing, 27, spent the previous three years with the Giants after being acquired from the Steelers in September of 2015. Wing endured a down year in 2017, as his 36.7-yards net punt average ranked last in the NFL.

In 2016, Wing broke the Giants record for net punt average at 40.9-yards, which had been held by Jeff Feagles since 2008. That year he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in both weeks 15 and 16, becoming the first Giant to do so in consecutive weeks.

Wing punted every game for the Giants over the last three years and was a teammate of Odell Beckham Jr. at LSU.

Giants expected to tender contract to RFA Brett Jones

The Giants also have four exclusive rights free agents

New York Giants offensive guard Brett Jones blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

Brett Jones came to the Giants as a curiosity three years ago -- a top prospect for the Canadian Football League who preferred to try and fight his way into a job in the NFL. He did, eventually earning a job as the Giants' starting center.

He looks like he could be their future at center, too.

Whether he is, and just how much they're willing to commit to that possibility, is a decision the Giants are going to have to make in the coming days. The 26-year-old Jones is scheduled to be a restricted free agent, which means the Giants have to tender him by March 14 to retain his rights.

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McShay changes Giants pick to Saquon Barkley in latest mock draft

Mar 7 | 9:10AM

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Penn State running back Saquon Barkley plays against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) (Jay LaPrete/AP)

In his latest mock draft, Todd McShay has the Giants straying away from a quarterback, and selecting Penn State RB Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick.

It was UCLA QB Josh Rosen that McShay stuck with in his first two mock drafts, but he points out how the Giants have many different avenues to work with as their No. 2 pick dictates. They could look to the future, immediate success, or even trade back for a team that has fallen in love with their next franchise quarterback. However, McShay settles with Barkley -- the immediate success option -- to give Eli Manning a run game to work wtih, and potentially vault the Giants into a win-now team.

One day at the NFL scouting combine, Giants GM Dave Gettleman sounded like it would be hard to pass on a quarterback at the No. 2 pick. Shortly after, Pat Shurmur made it sound like a running back was his top priority. And of course, every chance he got, Gettleman spoke about the importance of the offensive line.

So is it Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen? Or Saquon Barkley? Or Quenton Nelson?

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Antrel Rolle says Beckham should get '$10 million more' than his asking price

The new Giants regime seems ready to give cornerback Eli Apple the "clean slate" they've promised him after his miserable 2017 season. And with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie now moving to safety, it even looks like Apple is penciled back in for his old starting job.

But how sure are the Giants that they can count on him? And are they really convinced all his troubles are in the past?

Josh Allen dropped back at the NFL scouting combine on Saturday and effortlessly fired a ball down the field, hitting a receiver 70 yards away. His personal trainer said last week Allen can even throw it farther - 90 yards on a fly, if he tried.

The Giants are moving CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the safety position, where he will compete with Darian Thompson, a team source confirmed to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

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Daily News Live: Breaking down the top QB prospects

Mar 2 | 6:13PM

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Top QB's speak at combine00:06:29

The Daily News Live crew breaks down the top quarterback prospects heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.

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Josh Allen would be 'super stoked' to play for Giants

Mar 2 | 5:18PM

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(Trevor Ruszkowski)

Top prospect QB Josh Allen admitted to talking to the Giants at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL in February, per The Post's Paul Schwartz.

Allen said that he would be "super stoked" to play under new HC Pat Shurmur in New York.

The Wyoming product has been noted as a Top 10 pick in multiple mock drafts. At 6-foot-5, 233 pounds, Allen threw for 3,202 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in his sophomore season. However, his production dropped this season to 1,812 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also suffered a shoulder injury, and was forced to miss the final two regular season games this year.